Holekamp Lab
  • Home
  • Research
    • Spotted Hyena >
      • Hyena Publications
      • Carnivore Conservation
      • Communication
      • Cognition
      • Demography
      • Interspecific Competition and Anti-Predator Behavior
      • Socioendocrinology
      • Project Database
    • Arvicanthis niloticus
    • Belding's Ground Squirrel
    • Benefits of our Research
  • People
    • Kay Holekamp >
      • CV
    • Graduate Students
    • Lab Alumni
    • Lab Staff
  • Prospective Students
  • Courses
    • Study abroad: BEAM
  • About Hyenas
    • Images
  • Contact

Notes from kenya
mara hyena research

Giving birth though a soda straw: ouch!!

7/4/2009

0 Comments

 
Author: Kay Holekamp
One of the most mysterious and bizarre characteristics of the spotted hyena is the heavily masculinized genitalia of the female. Here you can see adult female Gucci (wearing the radio collar) investigating the genitalia of adult female Carter (who has her butt toward the camera and her tail raised) during a greeting ceremony at the den (that's Gucci's cub, Alfredo, scratching himself while his mom greets). Notice that Carter has a male-like pseudoscrotum and a male-like phallus.
Picture
It is not known why female spotted hyenas sport such unusual genitalia. However, one of the most amazing things about all this, in my opinion, is that the female is obliged to give birth through that narrow tube. Cubs weigh just over two pounds at birth, so imagine introducing a baby that size to the world via that route. It has GOT to hurt!

In fact, the female's pseudopenis tears when she bears her first litter, and this natural episiotomy leaves a neat strip of pink scar tissue on the posterior surface (see blow-up). Thus, even if her first cubs die before we can ever see them, we can tell that a young adult female has given birth based on the presence of that scar tissue.
Picture
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    About

    Notes From Kenya is a blog run by the students in the Holekamp Lab at Michigan State University, College of Natural Science, East Lansing, Michigan, U.S.A.

    You can help support our research by making a donation to the Hyena Research Fund at MSU. Your contributions provide necessary resources for the students and scientists to continue our work. Use the link to make a donation or contact MSU for additional details.

    Archives

    July 2020
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    November 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    July 2008
    June 2008

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Integrative Biology Department
MSU EEBB
BEACON
Hyena conservation
© 2016 Kay E. Holekamp
  • Home
  • Research
    • Spotted Hyena >
      • Hyena Publications
      • Carnivore Conservation
      • Communication
      • Cognition
      • Demography
      • Interspecific Competition and Anti-Predator Behavior
      • Socioendocrinology
      • Project Database
    • Arvicanthis niloticus
    • Belding's Ground Squirrel
    • Benefits of our Research
  • People
    • Kay Holekamp >
      • CV
    • Graduate Students
    • Lab Alumni
    • Lab Staff
  • Prospective Students
  • Courses
    • Study abroad: BEAM
  • About Hyenas
    • Images
  • Contact